Miami
by Lynxie Ears
Summary: The team was supposed to lay low for two weeks after Moreau. But when the assassin calls, Eliot can't help but answer. Spoilery for the S3 finale. Eliot/OC. Sequel to Havana and Boston.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Miami

**Summary: **Eliot and Natalia in action.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage or any of the characters associated with the show. I only claim ownership to the character that I created. Also, no profits are being made off of this story. It's only for your entertainment.

**Author's Note: **Alright guys. Have to say I'm a bit nervous about this one! Like the description says, this one takes place between San Lorenzo and Long Way Down in the less than two weeks that the team had off. I thought it would be a perfect time for Eliot and Natalia to meet up, but in a bit of a different context. Please let me know if anything is unclear! Hope you like it!

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

"You rang sir?" Natalia feigned a British accent as she leaned one shoulder against the doorframe of her boss' office.

"Ah yes Moneypenny, do come in," Davis smiled, humoring her for a moment as he looked up from signing papers. He looked every inch the director of a secret agency with his as crystal blue eyes that peered over a pair of square framed glasses perched on the edge of his nose. His black hair bore highlights of silver which served as a physical manifestation of the air of gravitas that he commanded. Natalia couldn't help but wonder if she had contributed a few of those grays over the years she had been under his supervision.

"I always fancied myself as more of a James Bond actually," she dropped the accent as she clicked over to a chair on a pair of grey snakeskin pumps.

"Someone's dressed up," he looked across the cluttered glass of his desk top at the assassin seated on the opposite side.  
>She slipped a black blazer off of her shoulders, revealing a white cowl neck t-shirt tucked into a black pencil skirt. "I had lunch with a friend."<p>

Davis stared at her with a smirk and a quirked eyebrow.

"Not that kind of friend," she paused as her green eyes glinted in the light from his desk lamp. "Not anymore at least..." she smiled impishly.

"I see," he laughed. "Well, we've got something for you."

"I'm all ears."

"We've got reason to believe a Colombian cartel leader is arranging a meeting in Miami with three gang bosses from across the US. They're all in need of a new supplier since you shot their last one." A flicker of a smirk crossed Natalia's face before her demeanor turned serious once more.

"Martinez?" She asked as she took the folder Davis handed her.

"Bingo."

"Is this deal going to the highest bidder or are they all buying in?"

"Highest bidder."

"Then what's to stop them from shooting each other up along with all of South Beach?" Her brow was furrowed as she scanned the pages of text. "Eliminate competition and you've got a better chance."

"Well, you hopefully."

She glared at Davis over the top of her papers as though he had just asked her to hunt down Bigfoot, which actually, she would have preferred.

"They've formed strong alliances over the years and to our knowledge there's no bad blood between them. They fancy themselves to be sophisticated enough to carry out a business transaction without conflict." The words left his lips with an air of sarcasm.

"Well, we'll see." She raised her eyebrows in mild disbelief. "I suppose fear of retaliation is a big factor, but if someone's word serves as the only safety on the gun, then I wouldn't consider it as straight forward as it seems." She scanned the papers once again. "I'm still not clear on why exactly you want me."

"We need you to do the only thing that makes sense."

"Take out the drug lord."

"Exactly."

"Yeah, but what's stopping one gang from thinking any of the others pulled the trigger in an effort to prevent them from landing the deal? From what I've found at least, the prevailing principle is 'if I can't have it, no one can.' Half of Miami could get caught in the crossfire."

"You're going to make sure they know the government did it."

"You want me to get caught?" Her tone was one of incredulity bordering on facetiousness.

"Yes." Davis' tone was stone cold serious.

She paused for a moment, her mind flitting through all other options. "Can't just leave a calling card?" Bigfoot was looking like a better mission after all.

"Calling cards can be..."

"Faked." She knowingly finished with a sigh. "They wouldn't be convinced for longer than a few seconds."

"You've got it. We want them looking over their shoulder every time they take a piss. At this point they have no idea we're even watching. As far as the public is concerned, the government's eyes are trained elsewhere. The Middle East and the debt crisis make for more provocative newscasts. A drug deal can pass effortlessly under the radar while everyone is preoccupied with the Democrats and Republicans having it out on Capitol Hill. We don't operate on tax dollars, therefore, their arguments don't apply to us. It's how we can do what we do. And this is exactly what we do best."

"Point made," the assassin shut the file, offering an almost imperceptible nod of acceptance.

"You're the best we have, Natalia," the man's tone now was softer, his air of professionalism dissipating. "I almost wish it wasn't the case, but, we can't afford to have anyone else out there."

"I'll need more information," her tone turned hard as her brain kicked into gear. "This deal takes place in a week. I'll need that entire time to prep."

"We've already cleared your docket." Davis chose his next words cautiously. "I've discussed it with the other heads, and we really want you to have a partner on this one."

The assassin tweaked the side of her mouth in dissatisfaction. The last time they had stuck her with a partner she didn't want, she had ended up with a concussion and a dislocated shoulder among other injuries she wouldn't forget any time soon. She subconsciously rolled her shoulder at the memory.

"Alright," she conceded. She was confident in her abilities, but now wasn't the time to allow her pride to get in the way. Having a teammate could mean the difference between a few more years on the edge - and falling off of it entirely. It took her only a fraction of a second to make her decision. "I want Mulligan. He's fluent in Spanish and extraction is his specialty. As far as I know, he's the best man for the job who's currently on our payroll."

"Actually, we've chosen a partner for you already."

"Davis, you're killing me." The assassin breathed with a sign. First, she had to ignore every fiber of her being and be careless enough to get caught. Now she was about to be stuck with some second rate agent who she was beginning to despise even before she knew his name.

"You've heard of the fire at that warehouse a few days ago?" He leaned back into his chair, its hinges creaking their protest.

"At the small planes airport?" She raked her fingers through her dark hair. "The papers said faulty equipment sparked and caused the explosion."

"You of all people should know never to believe what papers say."

"I have no cause to believe otherwise. So what? Arson?" Natalia shook her head in annoyance as she spoke. "With all due respect, sir, I fail to see what possible arson that burned up a few thousand dollars worth of a CEO's jet fuel has to do with this conversation."

Davis remained unfazed by her irritation. "Forensics found close to twenty charred bodies in the wreckage."

"Yeah Davis, fires are hot. Heat kills people." She didn't appreciate her time being wasted like this, particularly after the task that had just been placed in front of her.

"They all died from gunshot wounds inflicted prior to the blaze being set. When distinguishable remains were run through the FBI's databases," he leaned in and rested his forearms on the desk, "they all came back as known associates of Damien Moreau."

Davis closely watched the progression of emotion that played across her eyes as her brain flit through her thoughts. They all manifested in a single, almost cracked, breath.

"Eliot…"

Davis saw the minute fracture of her composure as she confirmed what he had suspected.

"Is he…"

"Alive," he offered a smile.

His words did little to reassure her, but considering the alternative wasn't even an option.

"Mulligan may be the best we have now," he continued, "but Spencer's the best we've had ever. And we're not sending you in with anything less on this one. That warehouse was a piece of work. The man hasn't lost his touch. The tricky part is getting him back. But if anyone can do it, it's you."

Natalia wasn't sure what to do with the information she had just been handed. Eliot had picked up a gun for the first time in years. And what's more, he had killed. And now she was to get him back. Would he have to kill again? Could he? Questions accumulated in her mind faster than she could count, but now was not the time to process. "I'll see what I can do." She stood and grabbed her jacket off the back of her chair as Davis followed her to the door.

"Keep in touch," he slipped his hands into the pockets of his trousers.

"I will."

"Good luck, James."

Natalia offered a smile and slipped out of the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: **Miami

**Summary: **Eliot and Natalia in action.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage or any of the characters associated with the show. I only claim ownership to the character that I created. Also, no profits are being made off of this story. It's only for your entertainment.

**Author's Note: **Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! It's great to see some new reviewers as well. Here goes number two!

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

Eliot tossed his keys onto the dining room table with a satisfied grin plastered to his face. Moreau was behind bars. He was a free man. For now at least. But fuck, that was good enough for him.

He rested his hands on his hips and surveyed his apartment, which had lain uninhabited for over a week. The heavy black drapes desperately needed to be drawn. There was no need for the darkness anymore. In fact, it was suffocating now. He whipped them open and squinted his eyes against the sun's blaze. Even the burn felt good. When he turned around, his gaze came into focus on the blinking yellow light of his answering machine. It was the only thing that seemed alive amidst the stagnant dust magnets that were his apartment's furnishings. It drew him in with its gentle beckoning.

Check his messages. That was probably the last thing he actually wanted to do. It seemed so mundane that it would shatter his well-deserved high. But he couldn't stop himself from pressing the "play" button, even if only to cease the incessant blinking of the light and quell his mild curiosity.

It was exactly as he had suspected – a parade of the usual. The voices reminded him to return that book to the library, renew the subscription to some magazine Hardison had bought him, go pick up his freakin' mail from the post office because it had been there long enough. As the machine played through the potpourri of bullshit, he strode off to the fridge and cracked open a bottle of beer; just about the only thing he found that hadn't spoiled while he was away. Fuck, he'd have to clean that shit out eventually too. As he contemplated whether he should take his chances with the leftover pizza or the Chinese, something not-so-routine came through the speakers.

"Hey El, um, it's me."

Her voice made his heart jump for all the wrong reasons. It wasn't laced with the child-like tenderness she reserved just for him. Nor did it bear the honeyed huskiness of the woman who owned his body and was putting in the call to request that her property be delivered to her doorstep. Eliot didn't feel the blissful contentment that the sound of his name on her lips often left him with. No. Something wasn't right. He left the beer where it rested on the counter and ignored the open fridge door as he paced over to the machine and waited for more.

"Just…call me when you get this. _As soon_ as you get this. It's time sensitive, so…" she paused. A fragile breath blew through the phone. "Please. Call me." Her voice was a whisper now. "I love you."

Eliot heard the click as she put down the phone on the other end of the line, just before the machine informed him that the message was already four days old. He cut it off before the next message could play, and immediately his fingers began punching the numbers that were permanently seared into his brain. His breath lodged in his throat as the ringing sounded twice in his ear. And then, her voice.

"El?" Natalia asked, almost hesitant – as if she was talking to a dream.

"Yeah babe."

He heard her exhale of relief.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself." He didn't know what else to say.

"Sorry," he could tell she was smiling on the other end of the line. "It's just good to hear your voice is all."

Now he smiled.

"You have anything going on in the next week or so?" Natalia asked.

"Not at all. We're talking it easy for the next two weeks. You got something in mind momma?"

"I do," she sounded almost impish. "But probably not what you're thinking." Then, a pause. "You've been activated Eliot."

He felt a tinge of intrigue course through his veins, mingling with the adrenaline already laced in his blood.

"It's temporary, of course. Should you choose to accept you will be directly under my command – no one else."

"Permission to ask what for?" It was merely a formality. He had already made up his mind. He'd follow her anywhere.

"I may need you - to save my ass," she said with a grin.

That was reason enough. He knew Natalia wouldn't put in a call to him for petty bullshit. She didn't particularly care for it.

"Anything for your ass momma," he smirked.

"Good," the smile soon turned hard once again. "In a few hours an envelope requiring your signature will be delivered to your door. It contains your briefing, a passport, driver's license, and a plane ticket to Miami for the day after next. I'll meet up with you there."

"Sounds like a plan." Eliot's mind was already compiling a list of what he would need to bring. Unfortunately, it looked like he would actually need luggage on this one.

"Thank you El – for doing this."

"I wouldn't trust anyone else with the job."

"Until Miami then."

"Until Miami." He echoed.

"Oh and El?"

"Yeah?"

"Wear something nice."

He laughed. "Yes, ma'am."


	3. Chapter 3

**Title: **Miami

**Summary: **Eliot and Natalia in action.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage or any of the characters associated with the show. I only claim ownership to the character that I created. Also, no profits are being made off of this story. It's only for your entertainment.

**Author's Note: **Finally got this one finished! Let me know what you think!

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

As Eliot stepped off of the plane and into the breezeway, he simultaneously felt the wall of Florida humidity hitting his skin, and the familiar quickening of his heart in his chest. It was a sensation he immediately recognized it as the predatory thrill that signaled the start of a mission. The beginning of a hunt. He had now only to find his mate.

Natalia had said she would be waiting for him at baggage claim, and as he followed the airport signs, he couldn't stop himself from scanning the faces in the crowd, as if he couldn't wait the few minutes between now and when he would see her. He finally did when the first baggage carousel came into view, standing with her back towards him. But for a brief moment, he second-guessed his instincts. She was wearing a long, white, sundress. _If there was anything I thought I'd never see…_he mused. But then again, from this moment forward, she wasn't Natalia and he wasn't Eliot. They were Mr. and Mrs. Skip and Adrienne Cooper.

_Skip. Fuckin' Skip. They could have at least come up with a real name. _

Skip's father was a Texas oil tycoon, and he was just carrying on in Daddy's footsteps. Adrienne was an ex-Broadway actress who gave up chasing the spotlight for his good family name, and the title of trophy wife. He smirked. _There's a thought for ya._ The couple was in Miami to celebrate their first wedding anniversary.

Eliot wasn't sure if it was his character or himself that approached her, set down his duffel bag, and wrapped his arms around her waist before planting a kiss on her temple.

"Hey stranger," came her husky whisper.

"Hello, Mrs. Stranger."

A wide smile lit her face as she twisted around and draped her arms around his neck. He took her jaw in his hands and pulled her mouth to his, softly sucking on her coconut-flavored bottom lip. Eliot could feel her body bristle as she pressed harder against his chest.

"I'm so glad you're here," she murmured when finally he released her.

"Me too momma," he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "How did I do with the outfit?" He said casually as they waited for her bag. He was wearing khakis and a fitted light yellow Polo with a pair of brown aviators perched on top of his head, holding back stray layers of his straightened brown hair.

"Spot on. You look _just like_ a spoiled brat who stands to inherit daddy's fortune," she looked up at him.

"Whatever you say, trophy wife," he grinned and was met by a lighthearted roll of her eyes. The outfit didn't suit her personality in the slightest, but she did wear the strapless white maxi dress and chunky turquoise necklace oh so well. Her hair was tied in a low bun to cover the tattoo on the back of her neck, showing off an expanse of caramel skin that he fought to keep his hands off of.

"Shut up and get my bag," she laughed and pointed to a suitcase with some designer's logo emblazoned in a repeating pattern across the leather.

When they had gathered their bags, they proceeded out the sliding doors and were met by Natalia's assistant, Tom.

"Welcome to Miami Mr. and Mrs. Cooper," he shook each of their hands, holding Eliot's a fraction of a second longer than the hitter had expected. "Your car is right this way. Let me help you with that Mrs. Cooper," Tom took her suitcase and duffel bag and led the way. He was an impossibly handsome man in his late thirties who sported a fit frame, shaved head, and manicured beard accented by the slightest tinge of gray around his chin. He was playing his part perfectly. Davis had sent him to Miami the day before to prep for their arrival. He secured a car and examined it from nose to tail as well as stayed in their hotel room last night, conducting a thorough security sweep and gathering any scrap of intelligence he could find. "Here we are," he pointed a remote at a cherry red Cadillac CTS and popped the trunk. Eliot slid his suitcase into the trunk before taking Natalia's.

"Quit staring Tom, he's mine for the week," she teased, just out of the hitter's earshot.

"He's _gorgeous_," Her assistant opened the passenger side door. "Send him my way when you're done with him."

"You want my sloppy seconds?" She stepped behind the door and dumped her oversized handbag onto the seat.

"Honey, your seconds couldn't be sloppy if they tried," he watched Eliot fight to close the trunk without damaging the assassin's equipment. His tone turned serious as he angled his bright blue eyes at Natalia over the door of the car. "How are you feeling about this job?"

"It's not my dream vacation to Miami, but I'm as prepared as I can be," she felt the car shake as Eliot finally got the trunk closed. "And I'm in good hands."

"I bet his hands _are_ good…"

"Oh, I can assure you they are," she quirked an eyebrow with mock sultriness before letting out a laugh. She appreciated his effort to keep the mood light.

"All of your documents are in the glove compartment. I swept the room last night but do it again when you get there. I doubt housekeeping is on the cartel's payroll, but do it just in case. I'll be a phone call away if you need me."

"Thank you, Tom." She would have hugged him if she wasn't trying to keep up a façade.

"It's my pleasure Mrs. Cooper," he waited until she settled in to close the door, and made his way around the front of the car to Eliot. "Here's your remote," he handed it over, slightly amused at Eliot's mild confusion. "It's keyless so that's all you need. Natalia knows how to work it if you need help." He stared unblinking into the hitter's eyes. "Take care of her."

"I will," Eliot nodded and shook his hand. Tom made his way back around the front of the car and, with a wave, disappeared into the crowd.

Eliot slid into the driver's seat and locked the doors before staring at the remote with a furrowed brow. He pushed a few buttons and fumbled around the steering wheel for a minute before giving in.

"How the hell do you work this?"

"Put your foot on the brake," she instructed, waiting for him to comply before reaching over and twisting what looked like a large silver key that was permanently embedded in the ignition.

"I knew that."

"Isn't your Challenger keyless?"

"Yeah, but it's got a button that says 'push to start.' Not some fake key thing. What happened to cars with real keys?" He grumbled.

"Do you want me to drive?" She laughed at just how much like a married couple they already sounded.

"Trophy wives don't drive their husbands around, darlin,'" he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "You just sit there and look pretty," he joked.

"I'm not going to hear the end of this, am I?"

"Not a chance in hell."

"Fine. Just, drive. Skip."

"Touché momma. Touché," he grinned and glanced over his left shoulder before pulling out into the flow of traffic leaving the airport. Natalia popped open the glove compartment and pulled out the manila envelope containing the documents Tom had left there. She shuffled through the papers before finding the one with the address of the hotel, which she entered into the car's in-dash navigation system. Immediately a woman's voice instructed him to stay in the left lane.

"What hotel is this?" He asked.

"The Setai on South Beach. Supposed to be gorgeous." She fastened the clasp on the envelope and tossed it back into the glove box.

"Is the dealer staying there too?"

"Yes. Luckily the gang bosses are split up at hotels all along South Beach, so it's just our guy Santiago and his men we have to worry about."

The car was silent for a while before Natalia spoke again.

"Congratulations on Moreau by the way." She looked over at him with a smile.

"Thanks for the tip that he was staying in DC."

"Of course. Anytime you guys need some intel just ask. You can't sneeze in that city without us hearing it."

"What else have you heard, exactly?"

Natalia looked over at Eliot, whose brow had now furrowed. "I heard about a warehouse fire. That the bodies in the wreckage all had gunshot wounds," her eyes never strayed from his face. "And that they were all Moreau's men."

"Yeah." The word was wrapped in a harsh breath. "The rest of the team doesn't know."

"Do they need to?" It wasn't quite a question.

The silence that followed created space for him to dwell on that thought. He hadn't killed out of rage or hatred. He hadn't been just following someone else's orders. It was his job. It had to be done. He did it. End of story.

"We should be coming up on it soon," her voice shook him back into the present.

He slipped the Cadillac into the drive in front of the hotel and shifted it onto park as a valet reached for Natalia's door. After helping her out he moved around to Eliot's side to take his information in exchange for a valet ticket.

"Hey momma," he smirked at her as she unblinkingly watched the bellhop load their bags onto the trolley. He faced the assassin and ran his hands over her shoulders and down her arms. "You ready?"

"One second," Natalia reached into her purse for a small velvet pouch and emptied two rings into her palm. Eliot offered his left hand and she slipped a wide silver colored band onto his ring finger before he took the one she held.

"I have good taste," he grinned. The engagement band sported a large emerald cut crystal surrounded by a ring of smaller stones. It looked like it belonged on her finger next to the thin band of platinum and real diamonds he had given her last Christmas. He was happy to see that she still wore it.

"Kiss your bride," she locked her eyes on his as he took her jaw in one strong hand and pressed his lips to hers in a kiss that almost made her believe their ruse.

"C'mon," he took her hand in his. "Let's go."


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: **Miami

**Summary: **Eliot and Natalia in action.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage or any of the characters associated with the show. I only claim ownership to the character that I created. Also, no profits are being made off of this story. It's only for your entertainment.

**Author's Note: **Alright, I don't think that all of the apologies in the world can make up for how late this update is. Life lately has been so incredibly full of stress, which is the absolute fastest way to kill any shred of inspiration. Thank you to everyone who is still interested in this story and for your messages to ask if I'm still writing. I promise I am! Just a bit more slowly. Hopefully this chapter will help me to get back into the swing of things. Thank you all so much again and I really hope you enjoy!

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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

Natalia slipped the key card into the reader before pressing down on the handle and slowly pushing open the door to the room.

"I think I'm in love," she whispered.

"I love you too, but… damn," Eliot murmured as the assassin stepped aside. "Drug dealers have good taste."

The suite was decorated in a modern style with an Asian twist. The bed sat to their right, adorned in crisp white linen. At its foot against the opposite wall was a black granite bathtub with a small television embedded in black tile above it. Long window seats lined the room to either side of the tub, their cushions covered in rich chocolate colored fabric. Small bowls sat on black lacquered end tables in front of each window seat, cradling white roses in their grasp as the bright Florida sun streamed in through wooden shades.

"I'll say," Natalia placed her purse on the bed an immediately shook off the wonder as she pulled a small black box from the bag. She went to work passing the scanner over every surface, sweeping the room for bugs. Eliot's senses kicked into gear as he flung open every cabinet, drawer and closet, running a hand over each face of the wood to be doubly sure nothing was hidden. They each worked their way around the suite before meeting in the bathroom. Natalia's fingers deftly went to work sorting through piles of toiletries and towels, thankfully finding nothing of importance. The hitter watched her for a moment before his eyes fell on the tissue box. He quickly discarded the decorative metal cover and ripped open the cardboard before shuffling through the cottony slivers for anything out of the ordinary.

"Good call," Natalia smirked at the mess. She headed back into the bedroom and dropped to the floor to check underneath the bed where she found a yellow sticky note clinging to the underside of the bed frame. She yanked it off and rolled over onto her back to read it.

_Knew you'd find this. Good luck, girl,_ was scrawled across the paper in Tom's handwriting. A smile crossed her lips as Eliot extended a hand to help her up.

"All clear," she declared as Eliot pushed the stray hair back from his eyes and sat on the bed.

"What's that?"

"Note from Tom." The smile quickly vanished as she pulled a file from her bag and shuffled through the papers until she selected the one she was searching for. "Santiago's staying on the same floor, which means…"

"He'll send men to check us out," Eliot finished. "Guess we just have to be authentic then," he grinned, "just like that time in Vegas."

"Except sober this time," Natalia laughed as she sat down beside him and leaned back onto the sheets. "I still have that stupid 25 cent ring..."

"Still?" Eliot chuckled in surprise as he lay down beside her and propped his head up on his hand just as a knock on the door ruined the moment. "Bellhop."

They ushered the young boy in and out of the room quickly. Natalia was anxious to check all of her equipment. The hitter had barely tipped him generously and shut the door before turning around to find her unlocking each case and meticulously pouring over every piece of gear before packing everything away neatly in the closet.

"What's the plan momma?"

"I trust you've read over your brief a million times by now?"

"A million and one."

"Good," she smiled. "For now, we stick to the plan. We'll work on scoping out the hotel and Santiago's security detail. Keep up your role as my controlling oil man of a husband, we may need to work that angle in front of him."

"Alright, but I gotta tell you that I ain't too keen on your boss' whole 'get caught to be believed' angle," he quirked an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest.

"For now, it's the most convincing angle we have," she pulled out her Colt .45 and began counting the shots left in the clip before latching the safety and throwing it into her bag along with an extra magazine.

"Let me do it then."

"Hey," she closed the distance between them and held his gaze, "it's my job. It's what I've done for the past ten years. I've got this."

Eliot sighed and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I know you do. That's what scares me. Getting the job done means getting hurt."

"That's why I have you," she kissed him softly to prove her point.

"Alright then," he tossed his head to clear the hair from his eyes and the apprehension from his mind. "Let's go."


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: **Miami

**Summary: **Eliot and Natalia in action.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage or any of the characters associated with the show. I only claim ownership to the character that I created. Also, no profits are being made off of this story. It's only for your entertainment.

**Author's Note: **Ok guys, I'm back! I know I've been away from here for an inexcusably long time, and for that I really do apologize*ducks flying objects.* Life kind of got in the way of writing and Muse decided to pack up and leave for a bit, so I'm still only now trying to get back into it all (not to mention that the entire website changed while I was away.) For anyone out there who's still with me and anyone who sent me messages, thank you guys so much for your kind words and continued support. I've even picked up a few new readers along the way! I know it's not much but there will be more soon. Enjoy.

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><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

Before they left Natalia paused a moment, giving in to the feminine urge to check her hair in the mirror.

"Hey momma, almost forgot. Hardison sent these," he pulled two ear buds from his pocket.

She inspected the tiny piece of plastic, rolling it between her fingers. "Better than what I was issued, that's for sure," she slipped the device in place and almost daintily adjusted her hair over her ears, "I'll have to call and thank him when all of this is through."

"I'll bring you back with me and you can thank him in person," he kissed the top of her head before putting in his own ear bud. They left them off for, seeing as they would be together.

A few minutes later, they strolled hand in hand through the hotel lobby and out into the Miami sun. The pair wandered the grounds, through the open air courtyard past the pools of water and luxurious bench seats and down to the white sand of the beach before winding back around to the outdoor restaurant.

"Eliot," she whispered.

He stopped and faced her before meeting her eyes.

"Santiago just sat down at the bar," she stared over his right shoulder at the bar twenty feet away. "He's alone as far as I can tell."

"Want me to go over there?" He pushed his sunglasses up onto his head and quirked a brow.

"I've got a better idea. Get ready to make a scene."

"WHAT THE HELL DID I DO?" Eliot yelled and flung his hands outward.

"You just don't understand!" Natalia planted both hands on his chest and shoved. "You never listen!" The assassin stole a glance at the drug lord, eyes concealed by her shades. They had his attention.

"Oh, I never listen to you?" He pointed a finger at her. "You're the one who wanted to come to Miami for this stupid anniversary. Well look around you Adrianne, you're in fucking Miami!" Eliot lowered his voice, "is he looking?"

Natalia made a show of pressing both palms to her temples. "Yeah. When I go over there head back to the room and see if you can find his men. It's weird that he'd be completely alone. I want to know what they're up to." She crossed her arms over her chest defensively, keeping up the façade for anyone still watching. "I'll be up in thirty minutes."

"I'll hold you to that," he tipped his shades back down.

"Fine! Just go!"

He stormed off toward the hotel, fighting the urge to look back and make sure that she was alright. The assassin paused for a moment as though she was hit hard by his words. She didn't like this…this making a scene. Her life was lived under the radar, where it should be, not exposed like this. She made a show of looking around before her eyes settled on the bar and she slipped onto a stool one away from Santiago.

"Tequila," she choked out when the barman approached. She could feel the drug lord's dark eyes fall on her form. This was more familiar. One on one was where her charms worked best.

"You alright miss?" He asked with something resembling concern in his voice.

"Me?" She looked up and made a show of pushing up her shades and adjusting her hair before offering him a faint smile. "Yes, thank you. I'm fine," she said in a voice slightly higher than her usual tone to convey a sense of innocence.

"That was quite the argument."

Natalia could tell that he was well educated. His voice bore only the barest hint of his native accent and his demeanor was one of a confident man. One who wasn't used to hearing the word 'no.'

Typical.

He looked younger in person than his surveillance photographs suggested. He had large brown eyes, full lips, and a sharply square jaw. It wouldn't be hard to call him handsome. You know, if he wasn't technically a murderer.

"That your husband?" He continued.

"For now," there was just enough flirt in her voice to keep him interested. "We're supposed to be here to celebrate for our first wedding anniversary, but…" she stared down into the shot of tequila that had just been placed in front of her, "…some celebration it's turning out to be."

She could feel the weight of his eyes on her neck as she downed her drink.

"Well, I don't think all's lost just yet. We could start with a proper drink," he raised his hand to catch the bartender's attention. "Your best margarita for Mrs…"

"Adrienne. Adrienne Cooper."

"For Mrs. Cooper," he held out his hand and she took it, thankful that he stuck to a handshake and spared her the exaggerated kiss. "Martín Santiago."

"Thank you, so much," she smiled, wrinkled her nose and pressed her hands together in an exaggerated bimbo gesture.

"How long are you staying in Miami?"

"About a week," she politely took a sip of the pineapple and umbrella adorned cup placed in front of her. "We've only just arrived. Skip and I were just walking around the grounds before, _that_ happened," she tossed her hand dismissively in the direction of their faux tiff. "Sorry you had to see it by the way."

"No need to apologize. Every marriage has its problems right?" He chuckled. "And I think everyone deserves a little break now and then, too." His dark eyes held hers, almost as if judging her character. From what he said next, she knew she must have passed. "Listen, I'm having a party here tonight if you want to get away for a bit."

"Well, I…" she hesitated to keep up the façade, "I really don't know how Skip is going to take that. I suppose, maybe, I could tell him I was going for a walk on the beach?"

"Sounds reasonable," he grinned. "The music will be good and the drinks will be free, so…"

"Well, in that case I'll do my best to stop by," she giggled in a way that made her want to punch herself.

"Great. I'll put your name on the list then. It'll be in the courtyard starting at ten."

"Perfect. I'll drop him off in the room after dinner and head on over," she managed another giggle. "I can't wait!"

"Same," he smiled, giving her a quick once-over.

"I should be going now though, Skip will wonder what I've gotten up to. But I'll see you tonight!" she slipped off her bar stool, gathered her purse and her drink and extended her hand once more. This time he kissed it, prompting an inward frown. She made a mental note to scrub that hand later.

"Definitely."

"Thanks again for the drink," she called over her shoulder with a wink as she headed toward the hotel lobby.

Minutes later she found Eliot seated at the foot of the bed in his glasses, frowning into an iPad screen. He looked up as she entered the room. "Santiago's men all seem to be occupied with coordinating a party tonight. I overheard them in front of the restaurant. It's probably a good idea to get on that list."

"Already done. Tonight. Ten o'clock. Courtyard."

"You certainly don't waste time."

"Never have," she dropped her bag on the window seat.

"What are we up to in the meantime?" A quick glance at the clock showed it was only 2pm.

"I'll check in with Davis and we'll talk through the party a bit, but aside from that whatever we want within reason," he heard her chuck the margarita in the bathroom sink followed by the faucet turning on. "I'm washing my hands first though."


	6. Chapter 6

**Title: **Miami

**Summary: **Eliot and Natalia in action.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage or any of the characters associated with the show. I only claim ownership to the character that I created. Also, no profits are being made off of this story. It's only for your entertainment.

**Author's Note: **Alright, here ya are! This one's a bit longer to make up for the time it's taking to churn these out. A huge thank you to everyone who's still with me!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

"Here ya are momma," Eliot plucked her cup of coffee from a cardboard tray and handed it to her.

"Thank you Love," she looked up at him from her seat, cross-legged on the floor. Her laptop sat in front of her and a glass ashtray to her left, complete with the discarded stub of a cigarette that still smoldered among spent embers. She always smoked when she was stressed. Now would seem an appropriate time to be so. He sat down behind her, slightly off to the side, and sipped at his own cup of coffee before fitting his hand to the back of her neck and gently squeezing. It was a gesture of reassurance; he was in this just as deep as she was.

"What've we got?"

"Well, the party starts at 22:00 hours. I told him we'd be going to dinner first, so we might as well keep up that end of the charade. We'll aim for a 22:45 arrival. Santiago hasn't gotten a good look at your face, which means you're coming with me."

"We weren't exactly discreet back there."

She looked over her shoulder back at him, "we'll tie your hair up, give you a hat, and you'll work that good ole boy charm on a pretty lady who's on the guest list."

"Done," he grinned mischievously.

She turned back to the tentative list of events on her computer screen, "work that angle until I can get my hands on his key card, then…" she paused at the sound of a knock on the door of a room across the hall. Immediately she sprang up and past him to stare out of the peephole in their door. Not a second after, he covered her body with his, hands braced against the wood, and she tipped her head out of the way to allow him a look. There were two men out in the hall, one slightly shorter than the other, but each easily over six feet tall. They were dressed innocuously enough in fashionable street clothes, but their builds and mannerisms gave them away to the trained eye. Body guards.

"Those are his men," he whispered low as the door was opened by an older, distinguished looking man. "They're taking stock of everyone on this floor. Looking for potential red flags. They'll take note of anyone who looks capable of causing trouble."

"Like us," she breathed.

"Yeah," he said dryly. "And we're next."

Natalia took another look as the two men turned and started towards their door. "Shit."

"Quick," Eliot whispered as stepped back from the door and ripped his shirt off, tossing it on the floor along with his belt. In an instant she caught on, shedding her dress and leaping into bed to tear at the sheets until they looked a mess. She chucked a pillow onto the floor and pulled the tie from her hair, mussing it up before letting out an exaggerated "OH GOD, YES, SKIP" that was sure to be heard from the other side of the wall. Eliot grunted and slammed his fist against the wall above the headboard for emphasis as she unhooked her strapless bra and flung it onto the coffee table just before a hesitant knock sounded. She reached over and undid the button and zip on his pants and ruffled his hair as he slipped them off. Eliot opened the door slowly, donning his best 'I just got laid' face before addressing them.

"Howdy there boys, what can I do for you?"He grinned, largely in satisfaction at the surprise and discomfort on their faces.

"Sss…so sorry to bother you," the shorter man stammered. Immediately Eliot picked up that he was the less strict of the two.

"Who is it babe?" Natalia appeared behind Eliot wrapped in a sheet, dark hair flowing around her face as she peered over his shoulder.

"Sorry miss, we thought our friend was staying in this room, but I suppose we're mistaken," this from the taller man. He didn't seem fazed by the situation they presented him with.

"No such luck there man, just us here. Must've gotten the wrong room number," Eliot smirked as Natalia gently dug her teeth into the curve of his shoulder and stared at them through impish eyes. The shorter man shuffled his feet and looked down at the ground at the ground, clearly wanting to get a move on.

"Must have. Again, apologies for bothering you," The taller man looked them over once more before waving and setting off as Eliot shut the door.

"Think they bought it?" Eliot ran a hand through his hair as Natalia perched on the edge of the bed.

"One of them did," she still clutched the sheet to her chest.

"Thought so too. We're still on their radar."

"Isn't that where we want to be?" She looked up at him through the strands of hair that now fell in her face. "Not too much too soon, but…"

"Yeah," he sighed.

"You'll have to stay clear of them at the party."

"Shouldn't be too hard."

"Should I call Tom?"

"Wouldn't hurt to have an extra set of hands."

"Okay." A silence hung in the air following her whisper. Eliot cupped her face in his hand, running his thumb over her cheekbone. She wanted nothing more than to shut her eyes and give in to that touch, if only for a few minutes, perhaps that would make this whole ordeal a bit more bearable. But she couldn't. Too much information clouded her mind, zinging around like pieces of shrapnel that threatened to hit at a moment's notice. She barely noticed when Eliot crawled into bed behind her and pulled her down with him, wrapping her in a pair of strong arms as she instinctively pressed her skin to his. Soon enough she drifted off, completely lost to the world.

* * *

><p>Natalia woke to a kiss on her temple and fingers tracing her arm.<p>

"Baby," a gravelly voice whispered in her ear, "I'm sorry, but it's time to get up."

She opened her eyes and rolled onto her back, her nose brushing his as she did. A moment's pause allowed for blue to meet green and rough to meet soft as he kissed her, slipping his tongue into her mouth. She arched up into the solid muscle of his chest, hands reflexively reaching up to tangle in his hair.

"Shit. What time is it?" She tried to pull away from him, eyes scanning the room for a clock.

Eliot held her fast despite her wriggling, "it's 8:30." His nose skimmed across the curve of her neck and down to her collarbone as he continued. "I figured I'd give you an hour to get ready and I've already called for a room service dinner."

"I have to call…"

"Tom? Done. He's going to slip in with the wait staff. I'll get an ear bud to him when we head down there."

"God, I love you," Natalia held his face between her hands and kissed him.

"I know," he growled against her lips.

"Alright, no need to be smug," she grinned, "now let me up," the assassin moved to sit up in the same instant that Eliot swung a leg over both of hers, pressing his hardening cock against her thigh. She couldn't help the moan that escaped her mouth as she slipped a hand under his t-shirt, gently scraping her nails over his freshly washed skin. He still smelled faintly of whatever designer soap the hotel stocked, with a base note of Eliot underneath it all. She was swiftly reminded that she wore little more than a sheet when he pressed a hand against the bare skin of her back.

"Fuck!" they both yelled in unison. Room service had just knocked on the door.

"Fine. You get off this time," he kissed her nose and let her go.

"_That_ was not getting off," she quipped over her shoulder as she disappeared into the bathroom.

* * *

><p>Two hours later Natalia was sweeping through the crowd searching for Santiago.<p>

"Did it have to be a blonde?" She murmured under her breath.

"You told me to find a pretty lady who was on the list," Eliot snorted. He was sharply dressed in all black and he had tucked his hair up under a fedora.

"Yeah but it didn't have to be a blonde."

"Well, you didn't ask me to find someone with a winning personality."

"Santiago is sitting at the bar. I'm going to need your empty beer bottle," she ignored his last comment.

"On my way," Tom chimed in, the grin evident in his voice. He immediately mapped out a trajectory towards the assassin and as he passed, Eliot set his bottle of beer on the serving tray that was expertly perched on Tom's fingers. A minute later Natalia casually snatched it up and wrapped a napkin around the base where it clung to the condensation on the bottle.

"Going in. Tom, keep an eye on his guards. Eliot, don't go too far." She fluffed her hair a bit before slipping through the crush of bodies, sliding perfectly into place in front of the drug lord.

"I made it," she flashed him a smile.

"That you did, Adrienne," he grinned. She caught the quick wave and nod he gave to one of his guards, signaling that she was allowed to be in his apparently sacred vicinity. She didn't flinch as he sized her up; her skintight purple cocktail dress and four inch pumps had done this all before. "I'm glad," he finally murmured. "What are you drinking?"

"Actually," she stepped a fraction of an inch closer and adjusted his collar to familiarize him with her touch, "I was rather hoping _you'd_ have a drink with me."

"Of course."

"I'm thinking tequila?" She winked.

"Tequila it is," Santiago laughed as he signaled the barman for two shots.

By round two she had his room number. Round three, his room key.

The briefest touch on her hip let her know that Eliot had slipped in behind her and she discreetly tucked the piece of plastic into his back pocket as he ordered another drink. Five minutes later he had made it up to the room.

"Tom, keep track of his men for me will ya?"

"Already done."

"Thanks man," the hitter pulled on a pair of leather gloves and surveyed the suite, finding a laptop neatly at rest on the desk. He plugged one of Hardison's jump drives into a USB port and went to work searching for anything else that might be useful while it hacked away. He couldn't help but notice that every pen on the desk was lined up perfectly. A peek into the bathroom revealed toiletries grouped together by function. Even used towels were folded neatly before being placed on the floor. "This guy is neat, Natalia. Everything's got a place."

"He'll know if someone's been through his things. People like that are meticulous down to the placement of paperclips on a page. Make a note of everything." He heard Tom's voice in his ear.

Eliot cautiously slid open the drawers of the desk, finding nothing until he hit the pull-out keyboard tray. There, placed in neat stacks, were pages of charts, maps, finance sheets, and what looked like a written report. There were three copies of each, which Eliot assumed would be handed over to each gang in the morning. He quickly flipped through the pages, snapping pictures on his cell and taking care not to crease any of the pages, which wasn't exactly an easy task in leather gloves. He couldn't afford to allot much time to reading, but as he skimmed the pages, one word kept repeating over and over.

"Natalia, I'm on my way back down with the key."

"That was fast. I'm guessing you found something?" Tom came through again.

"Yeah. You're gonna need to put in a call to your boss. This ain't about drugs.

It's about _copper_."


	7. Chapter 7

**Title: **Miami

**Summary: **Eliot and Natalia in action.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Leverage or any of the characters associated with the show. I only claim ownership to the character that I created. Also, no profits are being made off of this story. It's only for your entertainment.

**Author's Note: **Back again! Unfortunately I've been without my computer for a month or so and on top of it they had to erase all of my files. Including this story. =/ So, please, please do bear with me, as I'm in a bit of a rebuilding phase. Hope everything came together alright in this chapter!

Big thank you to new and old readers alike. There will be more coming soon if you guys are still with me!

**Edit:** Typos fixed. Big thanks to Carolyn for catching them!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

"What do you mean copper?" Tom loosened his bowtie and tossed it on the bed of Eliot and Natalia's room.

"The reports," Eliot was scowling into the screen of his laptop, searching the USB for the files he had seen. "There were maps of geological hotspots, projected yields, everything."

"Mining for copper with the right permits isn't illegal," Tom pinched the bridge of his nose as he paced. "We might be looking at an aborted mission." Half of a question lingered in his voice.

"Not necessarily," Natalia's voice crackled to life in their ear. Tom had barely finished frowning in confusion when the door handle turned and she walked in, taking care to shut it fully before continuing. "Did you manage to copy them?" She set the bottle of beer down on the nightstand and moved to peer over Eliot's shoulder. "Tom, can you get a hold of Davis for me?"

"Sure thing." He dialed and began punching a series of numbers into his phone, shaving off layers of security as he did. The sequence was almost mechanical by now, and his eyes moved instead to pass over the composed woman standing before him in some of the most precarious heels he'd ever seen as she calmly pored over the computer screen. "How are you not wasted right now?" He didn't bother with delicate phrasing. She didn't necessarily care for it.

"Old bartender's trick," she pointed a finger at the bottle on the nightstand without looking up. Tom idly peeled the napkin back from the bottle, revealing that it was half full with tequila. "Santiago had an early night."

Tom smirked as a voice came over the line. "Yeah, it's Tom I need Davis. It's important."

Eliot and Natalia could just make out the voice on the other end.

_I'm sorry, he can't be reached right now._

"Cameron, this is about Miami. Audrey's here and we need to speak with him." He made sure to use the alias the Agency knew the assassin by.

_He's asked that he not be contacted after 11pm, no matter the importance of the case._

Natalia calmly reached out a hand, into which Tom slipped the phone.

"Cameron, I'm not one of your fucking snotty-nosed recruits," her voice was as hard and level as ice. "We both know my security clearance is higher than you can count, so when I say I need to speak to Davis, I need to speak to him now. I don't care if he's asleep. I don't care if he's on the crapper. I don't care if it's 2 in the morning and he's shagging his wife. You put me through to him when I tell you to, understood?"

_I'll transfer you._

"Damn right you will," she muttered as she put the phone on speaker and placed it on the desk.

"Well, you've successfully made Cameron afraid of you," Davis' amused voice rang out into the room.

"Should've been done a long time ago," she grinned. "Listen we've got news." She tapped Eliot on the shoulder and he continued.

"There's a different objective to this meeting than we thought. Santiago isn't negotiating a drug deal, he's selling copper futures. I found maps, geological surveys, and pages of projected yields in his hotel room. I managed to copy the files. Sending them now," Eliot pointed to the screen where a window had popped up. Natalia slipped in front of him and punched in Davis' email and the code that would encrypt the files.

"On their way." She stood back and ran a hand through her hair.

"Copper," they heard Davis murmur on the other end of the line as mouse clicks sounded away.

"That has to be why this is all taking place out in the open," Natalia leaned a shoulder against the wall and stared down at her shoes. "He wants to turn this into a legitimate business venture. Santiago already has the government permits to dig in Colombia. The highest bidder gets the rights. There will be shell companies to cover for it all, but that's the heart of it."

"The opportunity to become a partner," Davis mulled over the idea.

"How big is the potential payout on this?" Tom asked.

"The market for copper as a conductor's exploding. More of the world gets wired up every day. Cell phones, computers, tablets, all of it requires copper." Eliot crossed his arms over his chest. "According to these surveys, it's millions. Easily."

"Probably closer to billions," Natalia was bent over the computer now, "these are preliminary meetings. He's not going to give away all of his secrets. These surveys probably only consist of 30% of the entire deposit. There are full maps somewhere, but he's saving those until he has the contracts and the money. He's not stupid."

"She's right," this from Eliot.

"Can we get a man on the ground in Colombia to find those? As discreetly as possible, of course. I want them ready to be handed over to whoever the Agency deems to be the right people when we're done here."

"I'll have them on it in the morning."

"Does this mean we're off the case?" Tom chimed in.

"No." Eliot swiveled around in the chair to face him. "Where do you think all that money goes once they've sold the copper?"

"Right back into the drug market," Tom nodded as the plan crystallized before him.

"And don't think they're about to pay people decent wages to get all that copper out the ground either," Eliot continued as he stood. "I've seen it all before. Men being paid pennies to work themselves into a grave. Women, children even, forced to work at gunpoint. They'll barely see enough food and water to keep them alive. It might not be what we thought, but I guarantee you it's worse."

"He's right." Natalia took his place in the chair. "Davis? All we need is your official word."

There was a pause on the line, punctuated by keyboard clacking.

"Your original objective remains unchanged." His tone had turned sharply official. "Santiago is to be terminated in the manner previously agreed upon. These documents are being sent to the Agency as we speak, and I will have our people in Colombia on the full plans by morning."

"Understood." Natalia and Eliot confirmed in unison.

"Will you be requiring backup?"

"Too many cooks in the kitchen just invites trouble. We're fine here." She stood.

"Very well." Davis' tone softened, "it's good to see you two back together."

"Yeah well," she looked over at Eliot, "job's not over yet." He saw the slightest tinge of worry flit across her features before they evened out again.

"I'll bring her back safe Davis," blue eyes never left green. "Promise."

"You better. Anything else I can do on this end?"

"Get some sleep. That's an order." Natalia grinned.

"WILCO. Signing off."

A chorus of "goodnights" echoed around the room as Natalia hung up and handed the phone back to Tom.

"You get some sleep too," she gently ran a hand over his arm.

"You don't have to tell me twice. I'm off." Tom kissed her on the cheek and shook Eliot's hand.

"Text me to let me know you made it back." Natalia walked him to the door.

"Yes mom." With a laugh he was off.

She kicked off her shoes and turned on her heel to face Eliot.

"Well?" He stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"I need a shower," she disappeared into the bathroom.

Eliot took a moment to chew his bottom lip and then elected to follow right behind her.


End file.
